Pickling liquor and process of making the same.



GEORGE F. DORAN, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

PICKLIIVG LIQUOR AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. DORAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pickling Liquors and Processes of Making the Same, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to the art of curing meats, and the object thereof is to provide an improved pickling liquor and process of making the same, the improved pickling liquor, when used in the curlng of meats, effecting a more rapidcure, the meat will be more wholesome and palatable, and, furthermore, the present invention effects a substantial economy in the materials .used in meat-curing operations.

Heretofore, in the pickling of meats, a pickling liquor was employed which consisted of a strong salt brine solution containing varying percentages of sodium or potassium nitrate. I have discovered that after such a pickling liquor has been used in the curing of meats, the sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate has been converted into sodium nitrite or potassium nitrite, this conversion being effected by the bacterial 'action occurring in the pickling liquor as a result of the treatment of the meat with such pickling liquor, the bacteria in the used pickling liquor being reducing bacteria.

Heretofore. the pickling liquor after use has been discarded as a waste and replaced by a fresh pickling liquor.

According to the present invention, such old or used pickling liquor is utilized as the basis or principal component of the improved pickling liquor. The improved pickling liquor is prepared, preferably, as follows :The old or used pickling liquorwhich contains the nitrites formed,by the reduction of the nitrates of the fresh pickling liquor is first sterilized. This may be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 312, 1918.

Application filed November 28. 1916. Serial N 0. 133,941.

efi'icient separation and precipitation of the impurities from the remainder of the liquor. The liquor is then filtered through sponges or in a filter press to remove the sludge of impurities which mostly rise to the surface of the liquor, and the recovered liquor, deprived of its impurities, is then supplied with the necessary amounts of sugar, niter and salt to give it the requisite strength for curing of meats. By heating the old or used pickling liquor to a temperature not lower than 75 0., I have discovered that not only are the bacteria killed, but the cell structure is destroyed completely. To cause ebullition of the liquor during sterilization, it is necessary to heat it to a temperature somewhat above 100 0., owing to the presence of the salt which raises the boiling point of the solution.

Old or used pickling liquor sterilized, filtered and recovered. 1n accordance with the present invention, is worth, on an average, about 55% of fresh pickling liquor, and by adding to it the necessary amounts of salt and niter and also sugar when the latter is used, the recovered pickling liquor will be restored to its original strength as fresh picklin liquor.

Pickling liquors are usually strong salt solutions containing approximately one-half of one per cent. of niter and also about onehalf of one per cent. of sugar. In pickling hams. however, a saturated salt brine solution is preferably used which contains about three per cent. of niter and sometimes a little sugar, although the sugar may be omitted. Such pickling liquor may first be pumped into the hams after which the hams are placed in a pickling liquor comprising a strong brine or salt solution containing, for example. four tenths of one per cent. of niter and three per cent. of sugar. In pickling corned beef, this pickling liquor containing about one-half of one per cent. of sugar may be used.

An example of a pickling liquor suitable for the pickling or curing of hams may 'contain salt 17%, nitrate 35%, and sugar 3%. After the use of such a liquor, the strength thereof may be reduced so that it will con tain salt 12%, nitrate .16%, and sugar 2.21%. The pickling liquor mav be restored to its original strength in such instance by adding thereto salt 5%, nitrate -.19%, and sugar .79%, these quantities being measured by weight, the average saving efi'ected in this instance by the recovery of the used pickling nitrite, as I have found that alkaline metal nitrites, such as the nitrites of strontium, barium, calcium and magnesium, may be used, and that these nitrites may be introduced into the liquor as nitrates and converted therein into nitrites. Also, the nitrites may be added as such to the liquor.

I claim as my invention l. A pickling liquor for the curing of meats containing salt and nitrites in quantities sufficient to effect the cure of meats.

2. A pickling liquor for the curing of meats containing nitrites and amounts of sugar, niter and salt suflicient to-efiect the cure of meats.

3. A pickling liquor for the curing of meats comprising sterilized old or used pickling liquor containing nitrites.

4. A pickling liquor for the. curing of meats comprising purified old or used pickling liquor containing nitrites and suitable amounts of sugar, niter and salt.

5. A pickling liquor for the curing of meats comprising sterilized and purified old or used pickling liquor containing nitrites.

6. The herein described process of making a pickling liquor for the curing of meats which comprises sterilizing and purifying old or used pickling liquor containing nitrites.

7. The herein described process of making a pickling liquor for the curing of meats which comprises sterilizing and purifying old or used pickling liquor containing nitrites, and adding to the sterilized and purified pickling liquor suitable amounts of curing agents to restore it to the desired strength.

8. The herein described process of making pickling liquor for the curing of meats Which comprises sterilizing old or used pickling liquor containing nitrites at a temperature not lower than 75 6., and removing the impurities from the liquor.

9. The herein described process of making pickling liquor for the curing of meats which comprises boiling old or used pickling liquor containing nitrites to sterilize it and separate the impurities therefrom, and

removing the impurities from the liquor.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE F. DURAN.

Witnesses:

H. O. CUNARD, A. EIsLER. 

